NorthPoint Astrology Journal: Your guide to planetary energies for October 5 to 11, 2015 By Pam Younghans

NorthPoint Astrology Journal  Your guide to planetary energies for October 5 to 11, 2015 By Pam Younghans  Photo: Gentle auroras reflected in the Temperance River near Tofte, Minnesota, USA, on October 2, 2015 (credit: Thomas J. Spence, posted on SpaceWeather.com)  Highlighted Aspects This Week MON: Venus sesquiquadrate Pluto TUE: Sun square Pluto, Mercury sextile Saturn, Mars opposite Neptune WED: Sun semisquare Venus THU: Mercury conjunct North Node, Venus enters Virgo FRI: Mercury stations direct 7:57am PDT SAT: Sun semisquare Saturn, Mercury conjunct North Node, Venus square Saturn SUN: Sun quincunx Chiron, Jupiter trine Pluto, Sun opposite Uranus THE WANING MOON this week leads us through the last days of a powerful lunar cycle, one that began with the Solar Eclipse on September 12-13, and peaked with the Lunar Eclipse last week. Today's Last Quarter Moon in Cancer (at 2:06pm PDT) brings with it a restlessness and a sense that we must move beyond emotional attachments and overprotectiveness if we want to allow a new beginning to unfold. The Balsamic Moon phase occurs midweek, at the halfway point between the Last Quarter and next Monday's New Moon. Here's how the authors of the Astrograph.com website describe the meanings of this final phase of the lunar cycle: "In the planting cycle, this is the time of the maturation of the seed, while the rest of the plant dies away. All the energy of the plant becomes concentrated in the seed being prepared for the next cycle. Like the dying plant, we share the knowledge distilled from the experience of the past in an effort to bring that encapsulated essence forward into the emerging new form." In the wake of such powerful eclipses, and as we deal with the changes we have experienced, it is helpful to focus on what we have learned and how it will empower our next steps. THE REST OF THE PLANETS are quite active this week as well, compelling us to take a more active and conscious role in our ongoing evolutionary process. Tuesday looks particularly strong in that regard, with two significant aspects: a Sun-Pluto square and a Mars-Neptune opposition. The Libra Sun would prefer, most times, to keep the peace, to stay in balance, and to avoid confrontation. However, Pluto in Capricorn is not known for sitting back and ignoring difficult issues -- on the contrary, Pluto pushes us to dig deeper, look further, and root out the problems so that true resolution can be found. The square aspect between these two planets reflects our inner conflict: Should we choose to maintain the relative harmony of the status quo, or should we opt for actions that may be disruptive at first, but that have the potential to lead us to the deeper transformation we've been seeking? Given that Pluto moves through our skies more slowly than the Sun, the dwarf planet's energies are actually considered the "winner" in this confrontation. In other words, change can be chosen consciously, or it may be elicited unconsciously, but it is likely to occur either way. ALSO ON TUESDAY, a very different influence is in play through the opposition between Mars and Neptune. Both Pluto and Neptune are helping us release something, but where Pluto propels and compels, Neptune in hard aspect tends to dissolve and confuse. An opposition is challenging because we can tend to seesaw back and forth between polar opposites before we find our balance point. In Tuesday's aspect, Mars in Virgo is determined to take action to improve situations, and is fully confident about what needs to be done. However, Neptune in Pisces is the voice of Spirit, whispering about the value and wisdom of surrender -- allowing ourselves to be guided by higher aspects of our being rather than relying solely on what "makes the most sense," at least from the Mars-in-Virgo perspective. The effects of this opposition may be disorienting at first. We may have started a plan of action and are having difficulty trusting where it will take us, since we cannot yet see results. The best outcomes are found in using the higher qualities of both Mars and Neptune -- taking concrete action in the direction of improvement, but only after spending time in our inner stillpoint, so that we know our actions are guided by intuition and not inspired by fear or a need to control. MERCURY completes its retrograde phase with a flourish this week, coming to a standstill while conjunct the North Node. Here's the itinerary: on Thursday, retrograde Mercury aligns with the North Node (5:47am PDT); on Friday, Mercury stations direct (7:57am); and on Saturday, direct Mercury aligns with the North Node again (2:49pm). Any alignment with the North Node focuses our attention on our next evolutionary step. When Mercury is involved, we are encouraged to do some conscious planning in that regard. With this sequence of events occurring at the end of Mercury's retrograde phase, we are meant to spend some thoughtful time in review of the past three weeks, to note especially the ways in which we have moved from fight-or-flight (South Node in Aries) to a more balanced response to life events (North Node in Libra). As we become aware of the inner shift that has taken place, we can now plan future actions from a place of greater confidence and less trepidation. THE WEEKEND provides a diverse mix of influences for us to work with. Saturn rules over its namesake day (Saturday) through challenging aspects to both the Sun and Venus. These types of aspects often require us to look objectively at a current issue, and to be responsible and disciplined. The involvement of Venus usually brings either relationship or monetary issues into focus as part of a problem that needs to be addressed. However, the Sun-Uranus opposition, exact on Sunday, promotes a very different approach to life. Whereas Saturn is known as the Teacher, Uranus is the great Liberator, the planet that encourages us to color outside the lines, if that's what will be most fulfilling and feel most authentic. Perhaps we will see Sunday's events as a rebellious reaction to the restrictions and boundaries established by Saturn on Saturday. ALSO ON SUNDAY is a Jupiter-Pluto trine. While every aspect has a date and time when it is "exact" to the degree, an aspect that involves two slower-moving planets has a longer life span than just a day or two. Using a two-degree orb, this favorable aspect between Jupiter and Pluto is in effect for about three weeks, from October 1 to 23. As Jupiter and Pluto work together in earth signs (Jupiter in Virgo, Pluto in Capricorn), they assist us in making tangible improvements in our lives. We may need to go through a Plutonian transformation as a part of the process, but with Jupiter's hand also on the wheel, we are supported in finding meaning and hope along the way. Copyright Pam Younghans 2015. All rights reserved.